Tell us who is your favorite coach and why.
Frank Caroll
Igor Shpilband and Marina Zoueva
Rafael Arutunian
Tatiana Tarasova
Nikolai Morozov
John Nicks
Alexei Mishin
Don Laws
Yao Bin
Someone else
Tell us who is your favorite coach and why.
Frank Carroll is my favorite coach. He was a student of Mirabel Vincent-Owen and has passed on her skating philosphy to many skaters over the years. He "created" Michelle and is now Mirai's coach. I expect great things from Mirai and think she is fortunate to have Frank as her coach.
I second Janetfan. He certainly seem to be a good at helping skaters find their style and consistency, although he's no magician (Bebe Liang.) People say he is known for making his skaters do full run throughs all the time. Is this true? I'm always confused by this. Why WOULDN'T a skater do a full run through?
Seems like some notable names are missing from this list. Galina. Brian Orser. Richard Callaghan. The Scotvolds. (or are they retired?)
It's too bad that the you can only list maximum of 10 choices in the poll. I wanted to add more folks like Orser, Tom Zakrajsek and Galina but I tried to put up a mix of long time coaches and recently popular coaches. I wish poll were allowed to have more than 10 choices.Originally Posted by Layfan
Last edited by Phoenix347; 10-07-2010 at 09:31 PM.
Well, there's always the someone else option
One of those polls I can't choose a single option for...so I won't vote.
I really like Frank Carroll, Alexei Mishin, and Tatiana Tarasova. And of course, Brian Orser.
Yes, there are so many great coaches out there, known and unknown. Hard to choose one favorite. And I am sure it's individual which coach suits a certain skater. Some skaters change often and some stay true to one their whole career. Lucky the ones who find the right coach in early days.
Anyway, my vote goes to John Nicks. I am always happy to see him in the K&C. Especiallly when he sits beside Sasha Cohen. He seems so friendly and nice.
John Nicks moved from Great Britain to California to help rebuild US skating, following the plane crash in 1961, when US lost the entire team and many top coaches. Since then I think he has been coaching mostly US skaters. I know I saw Mr Nicks in K&C at last worlds, but I don't remember who his pupil was.
Speaking of the someone else option - what about Carlo Fassi, who coached Olympic champions Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, John Curry and Robin Cousins. He also coached World champion Jill Trenary.Well, there's always the someone else option
Fassi also worked for a time with Scott Hamilton, Paul Wylie and also coached Julie Lynn Holmes and Emi Watanabe, the first Japanese skater to ever win a medal at Worlds.
Like John Nicks, he came to America after the '61 air tragedy to help rebuild US Skating.
If resumes count, Fassi's is second to none.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcH8engIO_E
ETA: I am sure I left out some very good skaters Carlo coached.
Here is one - Caryn Kadavy- in a medal winning LP from '87 Worlds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD5Xsuk440k
Last edited by janetfan; 10-09-2010 at 10:58 AM.
Wow, thanks Janetfan. I love discovering new programs and new skaters from the past. I didn't really know about Caryn Kadavy. Lovely. (and kudos for wearing a tasteful costume in the 80sSpeaking of the someone else option - what about Carlo Fassi, who coached Olympic champions Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, John Curry and Robin Cousins. He also coached World champion Jill Trenary.
Fassi also worked for a time with Scott Hamilton, Paul Wylie and also coached Julie Lynn Holmes and Emi Watanabe, the first Japanese skater to ever win a medal at Worlds.
Like John Nicks, he came to America after the '61 air tragedy to help rebuild US Skating.
If resumes count, Fassi's is second to none.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcH8engIO_E
ETA: I am sure I left out some very good skaters Carlo coached.
Here is one - Caryn Kadavy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD5Xsuk440k
Carlo Fassi was obviously a legendary coach. Didn't he coach Nicole Bobek right before he died? I thought the thread was more for current coaches, although I suppose John Nicks is borderline. Is he basically retired?
Fasso died during worlds 1997 in Lausanne. Bobek broke down and after her LP she fell down in tears on the ice. She finished 13th.
looks like I'm the first to give Don Laws some love. Granted he doesn't have the huge name stable of Frank Carrol, nor does he have the huge number of skaters like some of the others, but he seems to know how ot pick them all the same. Scott Hamilton was one of the legendary Carlso Fossi's "flunkies" and ended up becoming the dominant male skater for four years under Laws careful eye. Too bad Chan couldn't understand how to respect what he had to offer.
Thanks for the clip snowflake.
From Wiki, here is a list of Nicole's coaches: "Debbie Stoery, Kathy Casey, Hoon Kim, Richard Callaghan, Barbara Roles, Frank Carroll, Robin Cousins, and Mary and Evy Scotvold. She was coached by Callaghan during her period of greatest success in 1995 and by Fassi until his death from a heart attack at the 1997 World championships."
Last edited by janetfan; 10-09-2010 at 05:36 PM.
My, what a beautiful program! Talk about making it look effortless. Nicole has got to be the most talented headcase in the history of ladies skating. Here is a better version of that program:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0fbI...eature=related
I think you can see the Carlo Fassi influence in her polish and it's a bit more delicate that she sometimes was.
I always liked Robin Wagner, even though she's been out of the picture for a while. She seems so sweet and devoted and both Sarah and Sasha talked about how she was a friend and a second mother to them.
Igor & Marina - the improvement their skaters show year over year is amazing.
Though I have a lot of respect for many of those coaches.
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